In 2019, a leading health system was navigating the complexities of its formation from the merger of two major healthcare organizations—a merger that created the largest not-for-profit health system in the United States.
Amid this transition and during the global COVID-19 pandemic, the health system sought a strategic partner to help reimagine its physician workforce management strategy.
Challenges: Complexity & Chaos
At the time, the health system, between its legacy health systems, had multiple workforce strategies in place that were, in theory, designed to drive efficiency and cost savings. These included traditional staffing vendor led Managed Service Provider (MSP) and Vendor Management System (VMS) programs, as well as several markets leveraging direct engagements with preferred suppliers etc. However, these solutions, both separately and combined, were unable to deliver the agility and strategic insights required to manage its complex workforce needs. Multiple systemic challenges emerged, including:
- Ineffective Analytics: Reliance on vendor data without meaningful insights for informed decision-making.
- Vendor Dependency: Difficulty in rationalizing vendor usage effectively, with a lack of control and resistance to change.
- Contractual Stagnation: Burdensome terms and conditions, with numerous Master Service Agreements (MSA) lacking the flexibility needed to align with the health systems' evolving needs.
- Cost and Scalability Constraints: Inefficient rate management and separate solutions across the system, limiting the ability to scale and standardize resource utilization across the organization. Additionally, access to on-demand, reliable data became a challenge.
- Operational Leakage and Risk: Lack of visibility, unreliable controls, and unmet promises resulted in cost overruns, talent shortages, and increased risk.
Solution: Clarity Through Trio Workforce Solutions
Recognizing the need for a fundamental change, the health system, partnered with Trio Workforce Solutions to overhaul its physician workforce management approach. The goal was to break free from the "more of the same," traditional vendor-led staffing model and embrace a strategy that would enable flexibility, scalability, and cost- efficiency across a merged system with diverse best practices.
Key Achievements and Benefits
1. Cost Savings and Efficiency Gains• Cost Savings Dashboard: Implementation of a real-time cost savings dashboard, giving the health system on-demand insights into the cost-effectiveness of its workforce management program.
- Consolidation and Integration: Successful integration of back-office operations across the system, resulting in streamlined processes and improved financial oversight.
- Enhanced Executive & Risk Management Dashboards: Provision of actionable insights for better decision-making, risk management, and operational continuity.
2. Strategic Flexibility and Scalability
- Internally-Owned MSP – Trio Workforce Solutions guided the health system through the process of establishing its own internal Managed Services Provider. With a blended workforce of system and Trio employees, the program launched quickly and risk-free, anchored by best practices from Trio’s 20 years of experience. This resulted in a flexible, robust program with an engaged vendor panel and a strong MSA that drove consistency and cost savings.
- Vendor-Neutral Approach: This model allowed the health system to align closely with its goals, allowing for flexibility in supplier selection and reduced costs. As one panelist noted, "Vendor-led makes us no money," emphasizing the importance of optimizing low-cost supply channels.
- Improved Vendor Relationships: With the flexibility to work with multiple vendors, the health system created a competitive marketplace, fostering better supplier relationships and reducing costs.
- Expanded Services Outside of Locums – The program facilitated the strategic use of non-traditional supply pools, such as internal agency, IRP, and local 1099s. Each of these programs drove additional cost savings and were easily managed through the health system’s centralized Trio VMS system.
3. Cultural and Operational Continuity
- Cultural Alignment: Reduced turnover through strategic organizational changes and a partnership model that prioritizes co-innovation and flexibility.
- Operational Continuity: Implemented the first system-wide technology and service solution, standardizing and improving workforce management control.
4. Co-Innovation and Discovery
- Data-Driven Decision Making: By leveraging Trio’s advanced analytics tools, the health system gained clarity and control, recognizing more cost-effective vendor options.
- Partnership – Trio Workforce Solutions worked closely with the health system to bring four new solutions to market, focused on improving operations, increasing control, and reducing costs in the Physician Enterprise space.
What's Next: Innovation and Optimization
Looking forward, the health system plans to build upon the strong foundation created by its partnership with Trio Workforce Solutions, including:
- Workforce & Talent Pool Expansion: Leveraging the Trio Workforce Solutions suite of services, the health system has access to on-demand analytics to assess futureworkforce gaps and identify opportunities as it continues to innovate workforce management processes.
- Contract and Physician Spend Management – An AI-driven solution was developed to manage all hospital-based physician group contracts and highlight spending anomalies.
- Internal Agency Expansion: The health system plans to expand its flexible in-house talent pool with Trio Workforce Solutions, managed and deployed via an internal team.
Conclusion
The partnership between the health system and Trio Workforce Solutions showcases how a data- driven approach can transform workforce management strategies, driving cost savings, scalability, and innovation. With a strong foundation in place and a commitment to continuous improvement, the health system is well-positioned to navigate the evolving healthcare landscape.